Weekend Update 9/1/24

[up1950s]

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/702165/000070216507000154/drake1.htm

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https://www.pstr.on.ca/history.htm

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/01/16/utah-built-trains-are-putting/

https://www.rtands.com/news/news-news/railway-track-structures-2024-top-projects/

https://rrhma.com/2024-february-update/

https://www.colebrookdalerailroad.com/

https://trainmuseum.org/visit/ride-the-train/

https://www.quora.com/How-many-people-would-it-take-to-move-one-train-car

https://wmsr.com/western-maryland-train-schedule

https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/nostalgiarides/

https://www.ccpapreserveohio.org/railcar.html

[u18b]

It's a N scale layout!

At least, like some I've seen.   

[u18b]

They also will ride in higher style. The new trains are equipped with Wi-Fi and have power receptacles at every seat.



A hacker's dream.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/01/16/utah-built-trains-are-putting/

[C855B]

It's a N scale layout!

At least, like some I've seen.   

Yeah! Pink foam and everything!   

[daniel_leavitt2000]

No modeling this week. I am working in Northern Idaho dispatching forest fire crews out of Coeur d'Alene. For a chance to take a trip up US95 and US2 that parallel BNSF and UP track. Lots of in industries along the way.

Asked the permanent dispatchers what I should check out and they said Roman Nose is really pretty.

Other dispatcher:
"Yeah he can get up Roman Nose Speak in a sedan."

Narrator:
He, in fact, could not get up Roman Nose Peak in a sedan.


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It does not look bad in this photo but at a 25* incline and ruts that deep, going any further just wasn't possible. As it was, I had to back down 3/4 of a mile before I could even turn around.


I managed to avoid any damage to the rental. I really wish I could have gotten to the peak. I was only about 3 miles shy.


This was Ruby River RD.


Really pretty...

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[Ike the BN Freak]

No modeling this week. I am working in Northern Idaho dispatching forest fire crews out of Coeur d'Alene. For a chance to take a trip up US95 and US2 that parallel BNSF and UP track. Lots of in industries along the way.

Check out Valley Trains in Spokane Valley, Gary owns the shop, he's good people. I used to live out in Spokane almost 10 years ago

[Angus Shops]

That looks like a perfectly good road for a rental - as long as you’re not responsible for damages…

[Dave V]

OK, folks, a bit of a "homecoming" for me. If you've been hanging around the Railwire this week, you may have seen that I'm dipping my toes back into modeling the PRR in N scale. No, not a joke... for real. I held on to a few of my most prized PRR pieces so I'm not starting from zero:



Yes, I'm taking the plunge (again). But I need to rebuild my depleted stockpile of Pennsy goodness, so here is the first N scale PRRR purchase I've made in over 7 years, a pair of Bowser PRR GLa hoppers:



And how am I going to do this when I already have a 12 x 14 foot HOn3 Rio Grande Southern and a 3 x 6 foot N scale Colorado Midland?

T-TRAK (with apologies to @arbomambo for mangling the official name of the medium in my layout thread)!



T-TRAK means Unitrack (if even just on the end connectors) and so while I know it'll never look as good as ME or Atlas code 55, I wanted to see what I could do with it, so I used a scrap piece of 11" radius curve from an old layout I'd built for my son (whose graduating college in 4 months!):





Obviously I need to work harder on getting the paint into the rail web, but otherwise I'm pretty happy. The colors I used are easily available (and replaceable) craft paints and then I used a little pan pastels along the rail for the rusty dust look. I would probably apply a thin dark wash to the track before doing that next time, but only after the track was installed and additional ballast applied (to tie it all together).

But, I'm confident that Unitrack done with the colors I used with a razor-sharp cinder ballast shoulder would convey PRR mainline in the late steam era.

[Sumner]

Got the print files up for a N scale sawmill boom boat. 



One can print the boat with or without a cab.



The ribs in the non-skid surface are N scale 1 inch in thickness. Anything smaller won't print with the printer and probably couldn't be seen if they could be printed.



I've been very happy with this printer and it is a couple years older at this point. I like the over 6 inch long build plate that it has. Large for a printer in this price range. Not sure if it is available any longer.



See link further below to the print files on thingiverse.com.



I'm happy with the little inch long boat and feel it represents what the Hull-Oakes mill and other mills have.

For the print files go to my thingiverse.com account ( HERE )

A link to this whole build ( HERE ).

More info and images on Railwire ( HERE )

Sumner

[chessie system fan]

I drew up the Sand Patch Tunnel portal for a future T-TRAK module.  It's mostly done, but I'm finding it difficult to find any definitive T-TRAK clearance profiles.  I'm guessing the tunnel scale will have to be fudged, but I'm not sure by how much.  @arbomambo ?

[dem34]

I drew up the Sand Patch Tunnel portal for a future T-TRAK module.  It's mostly done, but I'm finding it difficult to find any definitive T-TRAK clearance profiles.  I'm guessing the tunnel scale will have to be fudged, but I'm not sure by how much.  @arbomambo ?

I go 64mm high just in case, which is a Kato GG1 with its Pans up sitting on Unitrak.
Is it high? Yes. But it absolves me of blame if somebody wants to run an ancient Crane and Tender combo with their parade of various mismatched locomotives.

[bnsfdash8]

I've always thought this Tomix heavy duty flatcar was pretty cool, so I bought one when I found one for a great deal on Ebay. Being a Japanese prototype I figured I should Americanize it a bit. What's another project right?

I replaced the trucks with 100T ones, added some brake appliances, brake wheel stands, etched stirrups, and MTL couplers. I don't think it'll look too out of place on the future layout. I think I'll paint it for NS.

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I also got the SD40-2 for NS 3329 stripped and ready for repainting. Scale Trains did the hard work making the shell correct but I did fill the marker lights and add lift rings. There are dimples in the shell where they go so it was just a matter of drilling and adding the parts. It must've not been cost effective to add them at the factory.

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[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've always thought this Tomix heavy duty flatcar was pretty cool, so I bought one when I found one for a great deal on Ebay. Being a Japanese prototype I figured I should Americanize it a bit. What's another project right?

I replaced the trucks with 100T ones, added some brake appliances, brake wheel stands, etched stirrups, and MTL couplers. I don't think it'll look too out of place on the future layout. I think I'll paint it for NS.

Cool model!! Does NS have any similar cars? I feel like they'd let Kasgro or TTX have that brand of fun.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've been weathering a bunch of cars lately and also got a package from Showcase. Here, both efforts came together.

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I'm working on the signals for there. I don't plan on lighting them (there's a LOT of LEDs in a two head position light), but I do plan on getting the heads right at least (so there's a 1/16" punch on the way from Amazon to make all the blanks I'll need).

[bnsfdash8]

Cool model!! Does NS have any similar cars? I feel like they'd let Kasgro or TTX have that brand of fun.

NS used to have a decent amount of heavy duty flatcars, I think they've all been sold or scrapped by now though. I have been thinking about making it Kasgro instead, it would fit in my modern timeframe better. I like their "Red'n'Ready" branding too.